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NAACP calls for police chief's removal after woman's arrest

Rochester's mayor Thursday responded to demands by a coalition of local black clergy by saying he'll continue to discuss the relationship between the city's officers and its residents, but that he supports his police chief and would not remove him.

The local branch of the NAACP is calling for Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard's removal following the release of a video that shows a police officer attempting to handcuff and arrest a 21-year-old woman who repeatedly tells him she is pregnant.

NAACP leaders met with a coalition of black clergy on Thursday to issue that and other demands, including the release of the woman, Brenda Hardaway, from jail. Hardaway was arrested on assault and other charges.

NAACP President Ed Goolsby said the group believes police brutality has escalated while Sheppard has been on the job, and that the incident is just one of many raising concerns in the community. The group, which has received support from Albany to Florida, is also planning a march on City Hall.

"I think Chief Sheppard has lost control of his department, and that's why we're asking for the mayor to remove him," Goolsby said. "We need a chief who's going to be fair. We need him to be able to discipline, and to be able to reaffirm to the community that he's in control to protect and serve them, not the officers."

Pastor Jerry McCullough of Faith Temple Apostolic Church echoed those concerns, and added that the ministers group plans to sue the city for brutality.

"It's not just the black community that's irate, it's also the white community," McCullough said. "No one can believe he would punch a lady like that."

Mayor Thomas Richards responded to the concerns by saying he'll continue to discuss the relationship between the city's officers and its residents, but that he supports his police chief and would not remove him.

In the clip released Wednesday, Officer Lucas Krull can be seen struggling with Brenda Hardaway at her Selye Street home and eventually striking her in the head and taking her to the ground.

Police Chief James Sheppard said later Wednesday that he was reserving judgment on the recording and his officer's actions until more facts come to light.

More information did come to light when the person who recorded the altercation with police released an additional 12-second video — showing action that occurred prior to the original recording — in which it shows Hardaway and Krull fighting.

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In the clip, it appears that both Hardaway and Krull take swings at each other.

After watching that clip, Sheppard said he continues to wait for more information.

"I was a little bit surprised that there was additional footage that wasn't necessarily put out there," he said. "We're going to look at the totality of the circumstances and not just what's on tape or what has been deleted, but just look at the whole scenario and take that information and make a conclusion based on our investigation."

Krull received minor injuries to his nose and arm.

Hardaway was charged with resisting arrest and other charges and was in Monroe County Jail on Thursday pending $7,500 bail. Her brother, Romengeno Hardaway, 16, was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and released.

Richards said he could not meet one of the clergy members' demands — to release Hardaway from jail.

"I don't keep her in jail, and I don't let her out of jail, I don't have the authority to do either," Richards said.

But he said he would sit down with the members of the clergy to discuss the event.

"I'm happy to have a dialogue with them," he said. "I've had dialogues with lots of people about race relations, and I'd certainly be glad to have it with them, and so will the chief."

Richards said he was bothered by the video, but the 12-second clip released on Thursday, in which it appears Hardaway tries to strike Krull, is cause enough to reserve judgment. "It certainly proves the point that we shouldn't jump to a conclusion here until we have the whole story."

"I didn't like it, who did?" Richards said. "But as the mayor in a situation like that, I have to be really careful and reserve judgment. I have to be fair to everybody. The video was a piece of what happened; there is a beginning and an end that we didn't see."